Good humidity testers ?(hygrometers)

[bubra007]

Which type is reliable for newbies? I don't want to spend a lot...I know this is all relative...but do they exist in the 10-20 dollar range?

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Well, in the price range you speak of...yes and no.

I would opt for one of the Wallworld offerings and "calibrate" it. Calibration basically consists of placing the hygro/temp unit inside a inside of a large plastic bag along with a mixture of salt and water...standard recipe is 1/2 cup salt to 1/4 cup water but the ideal is a very wet mix with no water standing above the top surface of the salt. Seal the bag up and leave it for 12 hours or so. The resulting humidity *should* read 75%. If your unit reads something like 66% while in the bag then you know it reads 9% low and you need to add 9% to whatever reading it shows when your using it. If it reads 82% while in the bag it means it's reading 7% too high...subtract 7% to your readings while using it.

You might check out this thread... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=162480

Of these units I like the Accurite with the outdoor probe the best.

Don't forget to check temperature precision, also, against a medical thermometer.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[bubra007]

Wow, you are very thorough! Thanks for the link, amazing experimentation! You must be a scientist of some sort!

I will go with your advise and pick one up at Target (try not to go into Walmart unless it is an emergency

) and calibrate the beast!

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Well, I'm *still* curious about some of the things I'm seeing going on with those thermometers. When I get my incubator set up I'll even do more testing. The thermometers that come with the incubators are interesting...I've got two different ones (one from a 1588 and one from a 1602n) and the scales are different on them...one being more compressed than the other. I calibrated them both as close to 99.5F as I could, but when they drop down into the low 70F range there's 2-3 degrees difference between them...

Nope, no scientist here...just an expiring mind that wants to know.

I hear ya on avoiding Target. Problem for me is Target is probably 65 miles from me and wallyworld is only about 17 miles away. The shame is what these big box stores have done to the mom and pops.

I actually think that the humidity part of these units are more consistent than the thermometer parts are. I've watched these units for a while now sitting in a shaded window sill and the humidity readings are consistent....going up and down together, while the temperature readings may be the same one day, a degree off the next day, 3 degrees the next, etc.,. Kind of interesting. Anyhow, like I said, when I finally break my incubator out and get it set up I've got some more experimentin' to do!

Best wishes,
Ed